7 curiosities about Mars, the cosmic warrior in our neighborhood

Mars is undoubtedly one of the most fascinated planets in our solar system.Astronomers have and still have many curiosities about the planet Mars.Also called Red Planet, Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second smallest planet in the solar system.

Baptized after the Roman god of war, Mars is a terrible planet embedded in a thin, atmospheric layer composed mainly of carbon dioxide.In this article we show you some curiosities about Mars, discovered during space exploration missions organized over time.

1. Mars and Earth have about the same extent of land

Although Mars has only 15% of the volume and slightly more than 10% of the planet Earth’s mass, the surface area of ​​the dry land on the two celestial bodies is identical.This is because about two-thirds of the surface of the Earth is covered with water.

Also, the gravity at Mars is 63% weaker than the Earth (which means you can jump on Mars about three times higher).

2. Curiosities about Mars – It has the highest mountain in the solar system

This is the highest mountain in the solar system

Olympus Mons volcano has a height of 21 kilometers and a diameter of 600 kilometers.Although it was formed in billions of years, lava leak indicates that the volcano might still be active.

3. Only 18 space missions have reached Mars

Image from Curiosity robot testing

Until September 2014, 40 missions have been launched from Earth on Mars.These included both orbiting missions and landing missions, not counting the number of missions that passed to the Red Planet.

The latest landings on Mars include the Mars Curiosity mission in 2012, the MAVEN mission that set foot on Red Planet on September 22, 2014, followed by the Mangalayaan Indian Orbit Station, which touched the planet on September 24, 2014.

The following missions that arrived here were the ExoMars mission of the European Space Agency, consisting of an orbiting station, a ship that landed on the planet and an exploration vehicle followed by NASA’s InSight mission, where a robot landed on Mars.

NASA’s mission was launched in March 2016 and arrived at its destination in September of the same year.

4. There are the biggest storms of dust in the solar system

Here’s one of the curiosities about Mars that few know.The Red Planet is often swept away by huge storms.These storms can last for months and cover the entire planet.

The seasons are extreme, because the elliptical orbit of the planet around the Sun is more elongated than other planets in the solar system.

5. Curiosities about Mars: The sun is seen twice as small as on Earth

When the planet is at its closest to the Sun, its southern hemisphere is inclined towards the Sun, which leads to the installation of a short and hot summers.At the same time, the northern hemisphere has a short and cold winter.

When the planet is furthest from the Sun, the northern hemisphere tilts towards the Sun, which results in a long, gentle summer.At the same time, the southern hemisphere runs through a cold and long winter.

6. The pieces of Mars fell on Earth

Meteorites departed from Mars have “floated” in the solar system for millions of years, after which they collapsed on Earth.Thanks to these pieces of rock, scientists have been able to find out about Mars before they launch space missions.

7. One day, Mars will have a ring

In the next 20-40 million years, Phobos’s biggest moon will be disintegrated by gravitational force.This will lead to the appearance of a ring that could surround the planet for about 100 million years.